Originally Pats Pups then P&T Puppy Love Adoption Center and the Parvo Problem

Originally Pats Pups then P&T Puppy Love Adoption Center and the Parvo Problem

TOMS RIVER, NJ – 5 Apr, 2017 – A licensed pet shop in Southern NJ known as “Pat’s pups” was selling puppies retail. The shop followed regulations and offered consumer protections as well as sourced its puppies from only USDA licensed breeders that met within strict guidelines as required by N.J. pet lemon laws. Animal Rights groups targeted the store and picketed it relentlessly, making a lot of unsubstantiated claims, and promoting the “adopt don’t shop” mantra, claiming that thousands of dogs in N.J. were dying in shelters that could be helped by retail rescue.

The store owner, after many months of harassment relented, and jumped onto the retail rescue bandwagon at the encouragement of the local Animal Rights groups who promised to help him convert over to retail rescue. It reopened as P&T’s Adoption Center but quickly ran into problems. The biggest problem was that absolutely no local rescue or shelter would provide animals to the rescue center! Their solution? To obtain animals from Puerto Rico! So how does that help local animals? It doesn’t. It just brings more homeless animals into the state.

So now let’s fast forward a bit. This retail rescue store continues to bring truckloads of puppies into the state, with zero consumer protections to ensure that customers are protected, and now, the inevitable reality of retail rescue has occurred, and Senator Lesniak is sitting back, dreaming of sitting in the Governor’s chair, not worrying about heartbroken consumers that are the direct result of retail rescue being pushed down the throats of the public in N.J. and across the country. Let this example, outlined below be a wake up call to everyone.

P&T Adoption Center Puppies Positive For Parvo – Store Shut Down

P&T Adoption Center in Cherry Hill New Jersey has become the South Jersey Adoption Center of horrors for some families in the last week or so. The retail rescue center posted on their Facebook page on March 20th at 2:30pm that they will be closing for 2 weeks to properly clean up and proper protocol is being followed “as per their veterinarian”. However, at least one customer claims via the Facebook page that they advised the retail rescue center of the deadly virus in their recently adopted pup and the warning was ignored, and the retail rescue center continued to stay open and adopt out puppies, putting more puppies and the public at risk, resulting in additional puppies being exposed, diagnosed, and having to be treated for the deadly virus.

“Hello everyone. Just to let you guys know, we will be closed for two weeks. We are taking precautions to make sure our puppies are happy and healthy. Our wonderful volunteers have been in working very hard to make sure that not only are our puppies cared for each day but they are being cleaned up and proper protocol is being followed. We appreciate all our loyal adoptees and our great volunteers and staff. Adoptions are expected to resume around April 2nd.”

A tip from an animal welfare advocate in New Jersey notified RAW about this situation. Are you ready for what we found?

Some puppies recently adopted out by P&T Adoption Center have tested positive for the deadly canine virus Parvo and have been hospitalized, with those consumers racking up hundreds and thousands of dollars in vet bills with no recourse. According to one of the adopters on P&T’s Facebook Page, at least one puppy has died. Parvo is extremely contagious, with symptoms include severe bloody diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, fever, vomiting, dehydration, heart beating rapidly and weight loss. According to the Retail Rescue Center, at least two litters of puppies that arrived at the retail rescue center obtained through a retail rescue broker in Georgia have potential exposure.

Several clients posted complaints on the P & T Adoption Center’s Facebook page about their puppies being hospitalized, complaining that the “health insurance” obtained by the retail rescue center won’t cover the vet bills due to it being a “pre-existing condition” Hmmm, pre-existing? Were the adopters notified of this “pre-existing condition at the time of adoption? One consumer posted a picture of their sickly puppy, languishing in a cage in what appears to be an animal hospital.

Another “adopter” posted on the Facebook page a transfer form of where her puppy came from. The Aphis form 7001 showed that 14 puppies were brought up from Georgia from the retail rescue broker to P&T Adoption Center from a woman named Tina Lane.

Looking into Tina lane we found out from her Linkedin page she is the founder of “Friends of Georgia Shelter Dogs”. After a quick search, we were able to find her personal Facebook page. You would not believe what we found. Tina Lane posted a public post on March 26 2017 at 6:55pm, two days after the NJ retail rescue center shut it’s doors due to a parvo outbreak. That post, which includes a picture, shows a sad, sickly puppy, and in her words, she is giving fluids to a 2lb puppy in her possession with Parvo! That’s right, the P&T Adoption center was obtaining dogs from their Georgia Rescue Broker, who is dealing with a parvo problem herself.

This is all taking place while several New Jersey bills have passed the senate and assembly that will regulate Pet Stores out of business. Even though pet stores in this state currently provide the strictest consumer protections in the nation, while pet adoption through retail rescue is EXEMPT from providing ANY consumer protections, which would have helped these adopters with the enormous vet bills that they are incurring to treat their sick puppies. Is it really smart to regulate pet stores and pet breeders out of business while allowing, hell, PROMOTING, retail rescue? RAW doesn’t think so!

Retail Rescues like P&T adoption center and the rescue brokers that supply them, operate without regulation and without consumer protections. Worst of all, these “rescue” puppies are being brought into states without oversight, and are exposing pets within the state to deadly diseases and viruses. If there is a pet “overpopulation” as Senator Lesniak and HSUS claim, why are they allowing more homeless pets to be brought into the state from other states and foreign countries? Certainly that doesn’t help the local homeless pet population. Purpose bred pets from breeders and pet stores are heavily regulated sources that include vaccinations, vet checks, and consumer protections, and these sources should be an option for the public.

Adoption is not the right choice for everyone, Adopt OR Shop, it’s your choice!